USF students heading to the FIFA World Cup

After waiting for about six hours in a virtual lottery queue, Joe Smillie began to accept he wasn't going to get tickets to the FIFA World Cup. This was his fourth attempt to secure seats to see his beloved England play. Like many other soccer fans, his wait ended with him coming away empty-handed.

The much-coveted tickets are especially significant this year as it's the first time since 1994 that the United States, alongside Canada and Mexico, will host the tournament.

"I'm originally from England. My dad and I watch every England World Cup and Euro Championship game - all the ups and downs," said Smillie, an economics major on the USF St. Petersburg campus. "I remember 10 years ago hearing the announcement that the U.S. would host, and we said, 'We have to go.' Who knows if we will ever get an opportunity again to do this, a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing."

For nearly a year, Smillie chased that opportunity. He entered multiple FIFA ticket lotteries, trying to secure two tickets to any England match - each time to no avail. He tried again through a U.S. Soccer lottery. Still, no luck.

"We got on at 11 a.m. Six hours of waiting, just staring at a circle on the screen that wouldn't budge," he said, describing a scene all too familiar to anyone pursuing much-desired event tickets.

Undeterred, Smillie kept trying. If anything, the setbacks only sharpened the anticipation building across the USF community as the global event drew closer to its stateside debut.

Being part of the action

The World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, engaging an estimated five billion fans globally. To put that into perspective, 125.6 million people reportedly watched the Super Bowl this year.

USF student Fernanda Cabral will be part of the action - behind the scenes.

Growing up in Brazil, soccer has been rooted in her personal history and her nation's passion for the sport.

"Soccer is a huge part of our culture," said Cabral, a public health major. "My dad worked at a World Cup before and at the Olympics. These major, international sporting events have always been big in our family."

She'll be spending the summer in Miami, which is hosting several World Cup games. She sought out volunteer opportunities to be part of the excitement. About a year ago, volunteer applications opened. She applied and was selected.

"I didn't go into it expecting to get anything out of it, like networking or such," she said. "It's just the experience. Once in a lifetime."

Volunteers are assigned a wide range of responsibilities. Cabral's role will focus on supporting referees and match operations.

"The site will host all the refs from different countries," she said. "They come here to get into physical shape for the games, and we also help with equipment, things like VAR setup, body cams, microphones, headsets."

VAR - Video Assistant Referee - plays a crucial role in matches, allowing officials to review instant replay of close calls. Cabral will witness what goes into preparing and officiating such a major competition.

"I'm excited to just see how everything comes together," she said. "It's such a massive event, and to be even a small part of it is incredible."

Tickets Captured

Like Cabral, soccer has long been a defining part of Smillie's life. After moving to Florida at age five, he played soccer through middle school, and later refereed, coached and interned at a soccer academy. At USF St. Petersburg, he remains involved through the campus soccer club.

That passion kept Smillie trying for tickets. A couple weeks after waiting for seven hours, Smillie logged on to one of the last lotteries. This time, miraculously, he got through.

"I got two tickets for England versus Ghana for my dad and me," Smillie said. "Then I was able to get two more in the next lottery I entered after being shut out for so long. It was unreal."

The match, set for June 23 in Boston, will be Smillie's first World Cup game. If England advances, he will attend a July 1 match in Atlanta.

He is looking forward to soak in every part of the experience, from fan festivals to the energy in the stadium. And hopefully after all that work, see his team win.

"They've had some of the best teams in recent tournaments," he said. "I have high hopes, even though we tend to get let down."